Paul McGrath - don't worry

[Clive W]

Unless I’m wrong and it wasn’t QPR

[eamonn]

Should he have scored more goals for us? With his prowess in the air and experience as a midfielder, you imagine from set-pieces/second balls, he would have had chances?

[Sexual Ealing]

Was 5,000 fishes really enough? I mean, it was a wedding. Wink.

[villabear]

Unless I’m wrong and it wasn’t QPR

There’s only one way to settle this..............

[robbo1874]

I love reading about how everyone else (non-Villa) loves him too. Whenever you talk to fans of other clubs about best players etc and you pull the ace card out of the pack, only the most ignorant or belligerent ones have got a response.

[fbriai]

What was the weather like, Clive? I don't remember the moment - feels as though he did stuff like that every week, looking back - but it could well have been in that 4-1 beating we game them first game of the season in '93.

Bradley Allen? Simon Barker?

[Clive W]

What was the weather like, Clive? I don't remember the moment - feels as though he did stuff like that every week, looking back - but it could well have been in that 4-1 beating we game them first game of the season in '93.

Bradley Allen? Simon Barker?

Vaguely remember it was a sunny day

The incident I’m thinking of was definitely at the Holte end. The one and only time I’ve ever been in the Wilton end was against Forest in the 90’s. Took my 3 sons and for some reason we ended up in the Witton end about 4 rows from the front.
Just before kick off the heavens opened and stayed that way and we were drenched. Fortunately we had a close up view of the only incident of note in the whole game. Unfortunately it was a Stuart Pearce penalty in the first minute and that was that. I think they went on to get another.
Spent the 150 mile drive back home trying to convince my sons that “trust me....it’s not always this bad”

[Ian.]

A really nice article here which has some villa-related aspects to it. Also shows a photo from my first ever game at VP, when he scored against spurs.

Thank you for sharing. What a fantastic article. He was some player, maybe the best centre half to ever play the game. Brilliant to know he was loved everywhere he went.

[thick_mike]

Need some help with this one please folks;  my memory is rapidly fading.
I’m sure it was against QPR and they were attacking the Holte. One of their forwards burst into the box and had the audacity to nutmeg the Great Man. In a split second the GM turned, went to ground, and executed a perfect slide tackle just as he was about to shoot, flipping the ball off the forward’s feet clean as a whistle for a corner. The GM then stood up (and I’m convinced he looked directly at me - left side 3 steps down from the horizontal gangway) and raised a clenched fist towards the Holte with a cry of “yesss”

I thought the QPR player was Don Givens but on checking he was before McGrath’s time at Villa

Anyone else with the same memory?

I remember a very similar incident against QPR, but at Loftus Road. It was the season we finished second and the ground was packed with villa on all sides. Through ball to Les Ferdinand who was a top striker and at the top of his game, McGrath trailing in his wake and I thought, “this is it...the demise of a once great player”. McGrath went to ground, slid onto the ball and stood up with it at his feet in one motion. Les Ferdinand carried on running onto the through ball that was no longer there.

[LeeB]

I remember we used to talk about the time Alan Smith turned him once playing for Arsenal, because things like that happening were so rare they felt like events.

[algy]

Was 5,000 fishes really enough? I mean, it was a wedding. Wink.

Isn't this what we do though?

Created the world in 7 days,  6.5.  Should've done more on 7th day.  Needs to improve creativity before he can be considered deity class.

[eamonn]

I know it's sacrilige to question any part of his game but being too young to appreciate his true genius consistently, I'd still like to hear of any weaknesses.

[WarszaVillan]

I'd be tempted to say pace. He never looked very quick when he ran and I don't think he was, but he always seemed to get to the ball before the opponent. Other than that he never scored that many goals, although he still got a few.

[algy]

Ireland vs Italy at the 1994 world cup always sticks in my mind with the big man.  He was majestic that day.  He made Roberto Baggio look like a Sunday league player.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

 The guy was a genius and made playing football (particularly defending) look easy. He didn't need pace because his reading of the game was brilliant. It was like watching football being played in slow motion whenever he was involved, he always seemed to have plenty of time when making challenges or when he was coming away with the ball. The opposition almost looked scared to go up against Paul because they invariably knew they would lose out. The trademark McGrath fist pumps towards the fans was a joy to behold, whenever he made a crucial tackle or intervention that in truth he had no right to make, as the forward was usually the favourite, but Paul would more often than not get a block or toe in to put the forward off. Genius!